Prep football: Redwood wins back-and-forth game over Terra Linda

In a game that saw explosive plays and emotions run hot, it was the Redwood High football team that walked away victorious with a 30-20 win over host Terra Linda on Saturday.

Late in the fourth quarter with Redwood leading 24-20 and the Trojans threatening, Jack Cathcart intercepted Easton English in the end zone to stop the TL drive.

Giants senior captain Omid Izadjou (nine rushes for 96 yards) then provided a 51-yard back-breaking touchdown run to remove all doubts to the outcome.

"I was just thinking about my team, had to do it for my team," Izadjou said. "We wanted that win and they expect that out of me. We wanted it. ... We want to make (the North Coast Section playoffs)."

Liam Bourke opened the scoring for Redwood (4-4, 3-2 MCAL) with a 31-yard field goal. Then after a TL punt, Redwood had the ball at its own 10-yard line when Carl Mesker fumbled and Beau Keeve (23 carries for 134 yards) was able to score from 10 yards out for the Trojans two plays later.

Redwood orchestrated a long touchdown drive to re-take the lead 10-6, highlighted by a 27-yard catch by Liam Raz (five catches for 86 yards) and capped off by a Khari Haynes run from a yard out.

The back and forth second quarter continued as Terra Linda (2-6, 0-5) took only two passing plays — a 46-yard pass to Kirby Dederian, and a 37-yard pass to Keeve for the score — to recapture the lead 14-10 after a two-point conversion catch by Dederian.

The high octane second quarter was not finished yet as Redwood marched down the field and reclaimed the lead 17-14 with an 18-yard strike from Aaron Dorfler to Raz. Dorfler finished with 102 passing yards and two scores.

"It was his best game, there's no doubt about it," Redwood coach Corky Henderson said. "Part of the game plan was going to be throwing the ball. It took him a little while to get warm. Just about gave me a heart attack trying to implement it, but we did it."

The Trojans came out of the half firing on all cylinders as they took the lead back from Redwood 20-17 when quarterback Easton English connected with Daniel Laerman for a score after scrambling around to keep the play alive.

Dorfler then led the Giants right back down the field connecting with Jack Cathcart for his second touchdown pass of the day as Redwood captured the lead once and for all.

"We were competitive today, we had the lead a few different times," TL coach Damon Keeve said. "We just don't tackle well, and we've been struggling on defense."